The noise in the auditorium gradually subsided as the awakening ceremony neared its conclusion. Gu Yuan sat silently in his seat, his gaze lowered, as though trapped in a silent vortex.

The massive blow and ridicule he had just endured had somewhat faded, but the lingering sense of loss still weighed heavily on him.

Lin Mowen, seated beside him, had been quietly watching him without saying a word, seemingly lost in thought. After a moment, he reached out and patted Gu Yuan's shoulder, speaking in an even tone, "Gu Yuan, give me your access card."

Gu Yuan lifted his head, confusion flickering in his eyes. "Huh?"

Lin Mowen's expression remained calm, his voice devoid of emotion. "Wasn't yesterday your 18th birthday? I prepared something for you."

"Ah…" Gu Yuan was momentarily stunned before realization dawned on him, a wave of warmth rising in his chest. He had never been used to anyone remembering his birthday—not even himself.

In this world where he had no family and few who genuinely cared for him, those words unexpectedly brought a faint sense of comfort.

"Alright." He nodded and took out his access card, handing it over to Lin Mowen.

"Oh, by the way, Ah Yuan," Lin Mowen adjusted his glasses, his tone as calm as ever but with a hint of sincerity. "Didn't you receive an inheritance? I have an investment opportunity that can grow quickly. I just happen to have the right connections. Would you like to give it a try?"

"Inheritance?" Gu Yuan was slightly taken aback before shaking his head. "I don't know much about that."

Lin Mowen smiled and waved dismissively. "Don't worry, I guarantee it's safe, and the returns will come quickly. You'll need plenty of money for ability training in the future. Just lend me your bank card for a bit. I'll handle the operation and return it to you shortly."

Gu Yuan hesitated for a moment, but recalling Lin Mowen's longstanding image as a "scholar" and their many years as classmates, he eventually nodded. "Alright then, I'll leave it to you."

Lin Mowen accepted the card, offering a light smile. He patted Gu Yuan on the shoulder, his eyes flashing with a barely noticeable glint of coldness. "Don't worry, leave it to me. It won't take long."

Gu Yuan looked at him, harboring no suspicion, and simply nodded.

...

After the ceremony ended, Gu Yuan returned to his classroom, but he couldn't focus at all. The whispers and murmurs of his classmates were like invisible needles, pricking incessantly at his mind.

Seizing the break between classes, he decided to ask for leave and head home early to rest.

When he arrived home and pushed open the door, he was met not with the familiar tidiness, but with chaos. Furniture was overturned, drawers left open, and clothes and books scattered across the floor. It was clear someone had broken in.

Gu Yuan's mind went blank. Standing in the doorway, his eyes swept across the room, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. Just then, the sound of footsteps came from outside. He immediately turned, warily watching the entrance.

Moments later, a man in a tailored suit entered, flanked by two subordinates. His steps were steady, but there was an unmistakable air of arrogance about him.

The man’s head bore faint traces of intricate tattoos, barely concealed by his well-pressed suit, which seemed an attempt to appear more polished. Yet no matter how he dressed, he still exuded the aura of someone deeply entrenched in the underworld.

His subordinates, dressed uniformly, had sharp, hawk-like gazes that carried an unsettling sense of authority.

"Are you Mr. Gu Yuan?" The man stopped at the entrance, his deep voice carrying a professional coldness.

"Yes... I am," Gu Yuan replied, frowning, his tone tinged with confusion and caution.

"Good." The man nodded slightly, pulling out a document from his pocket and speaking calmly, "We are representatives of Tianchuan Corporation. This property has been mortgaged, and per the agreement, you are required to vacate within three days."

"Mortgaged?" Gu Yuan's face was filled with shock as he instinctively took the document, quickly flipping through its contents. The text clearly stated that the property had been mortgaged, and all accounts and assets had been transferred.

"That's impossible!" Gu Yuan shouted in anger, his voice trembling with emotion. "I never signed any mortgage agreement!"

The man’s professional smile faded, replaced by a chilling sneer. He clapped his hands lightly, and one of his subordinates suddenly released a powerful aura—a crushing pressure belonging to a C-class Scholar-level ability user.

It felt as though the air had been sucked out of the room. Gu Yuan's chest tightened, and even standing became difficult. He instinctively stepped back, his eyes filled with shock.

"Mr. Gu, we're just following protocol. If you have any disputes about the contract, you can pursue legal action..." The man's tone turned icy. "But I suggest you cooperate. We don't have time for complications."

"This has to be a mistake..." Gu Yuan gritted his teeth, struggling to control his emotions. "I didn’t do this. You must have the wrong person!"

The man remained unmoved, his tone growing colder. "If you're dissatisfied, take it up with our boss. But remember, any delay will only make things worse. Three days should be enough for you to clear out."

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

"...”

Gu Yuan’s fists trembled as his gaze darted between the mess in his home and the men before him. He quickly pulled out his phone and dialed Lin Mowen’s number.

The dial tone repeated over and over: "The number you have dialed is currently unavailable. Please try again later."

"Lin Mowen..." Gu Yuan muttered through clenched teeth, his voice filled with confusion and anger. It felt like a boulder was pressing down on his chest, and helplessness surged through him like a rising tide. He looked down at the document in his hand, his knuckles whitening from his grip.

"Mr. Gu, I'll remind you again—please cooperate. We’ll conduct periodic inspections. Don't make this difficult for us." With that, the man turned and left with his subordinates.

Just as he was about to step out the door, he paused, speaking without turning back. "Oh, and don’t bother calling the police or seeking help. Trust me, not everyone around you can be relied on."

The door slammed shut with a loud "bang." Gu Yuan's legs gave way, and he collapsed onto the floor. His empty gaze stared at the ceiling as he clutched his head, his mind a chaotic mess. The room fell into an eerie silence.

Suddenly, something occurred to him. He frantically searched his pockets and bag, only to find that his bank card was nowhere to be seen.

"Bank card..." he murmured to himself, a sudden realization dawning upon him—it had been taken earlier that morning.

With trembling hands, he opened his banking app. The balance displayed on the screen plunged him into an abyss of despair: zero. Every cent of his savings had been drained. Gu Yuan stared blankly at the screen, his fingers trembling as his breathing grew rapid.

His hand fell limp, and the phone slipped from his grasp, clattering to the floor. The once-cozy home was now a desolate ruin. Scattered furniture and an empty room mirrored the collapse of his life.

"Why... How..." he whispered, his voice barely audible. His chest felt like it was being crushed under a massive weight, making it impossible to breathe.

...

Meanwhile, Lin Mowen sat in a quiet café. His phone lay on the table beside him, its screen displaying missed calls—Gu Yuan’s name flashing repeatedly. Yet he ignored it, calmly stirring the liquid in his coffee cup.

Adjusting his glasses, he let a faint, almost imperceptible smile play on his lips. His eyes, however, were chillingly devoid of warmth. "Gu Yuan, you were never destined to go far. And this... I will put to better use."

...

Lin Mowen was an exceptionally intelligent but cold-hearted individual. He understood well what the differences in ability rankings meant among ability users.

Gu Yuan had awakened an F-class spatial ability, which held virtually no potential for growth. On the other hand, Lin Mowen had awakened a rare pseudo-B-class mental ability, enough to position him among the ranks of the strong. He knew their futures were destined to diverge.

However, the cost of ability training was extraordinarily high. A lack of resources would bring his progression to a halt. To avoid such an outcome, he had to find a breakthrough.

Unlike him, Huang Yunmu had awakened a D-class reinforcement ability. Yet, with a father who was a core member of the school board, Huang’s future would undoubtedly remain secure.

Gu Yuan's substantial family fortune, however, was Lin Mowen’s opportunity. Having visited Gu Yuan’s home on multiple occasions, he was familiar with the wealth stored there.

What served as a safety net for Gu Yuan’s stable life was, for Lin Mowen, the key to unlocking his own advancement. As long as he leveraged Gu Yuan’s trust, he could drain those resources to pave his path forward.

...

Meanwhile, in a neighborhood even more luxurious than Gu Yuan’s Quanquing Community in Yaoxing City, another scene unfolded.

Huang Yunmu was enduring a harsh reprimand from his father, Huang Tiancheng. The Huang family had always prided itself on high-level abilities, with most of its members historically awakening powerful ones. As a result, they looked down on low-ranking ability users.

Huang Yunmu’s D-class awakening today had clearly fallen far short of Huang Tiancheng’s expectations.

Furious, especially after being subtly mocked by competitors within the school board, Huang Tiancheng felt humiliated. His anger had nowhere else to go. Coldly, he stared at Huang Yunmu, forcing him to take off his shirt and stand bare-chested in the middle of the living room.

"A D-class ability! My son, Huang Tiancheng’s son, awakened such a disgraceful ability!" Huang Tiancheng wielded a thin cane, whipping it mercilessly across Huang Yunmu’s back. His tone was filled with suppressed rage.

"Do you know how many people were laughing at me today? Since when has the Huang family produced such a low-class ability user?"

The cane struck again and again, each lash precise and powerful, delivering searing pain. Huang Tiancheng’s strikes were skillful enough not to leave visible marks but sharp enough to cause immense shame and agony.

Huang Yunmu kept his head down, his back stinging unbearably, his face burning with embarrassment. His body trembled slightly, his fists clenched so tightly his nails nearly pierced his palms. Yet he dared not make a sound.

He knew that no matter how he explained, his father’s anger would not subside, and his ability rank would not change.

The suffocating atmosphere in the living room was suddenly interrupted by the ringing of Huang Yunmu’s phone. The sound cut through the silence like a blade. Huang Tiancheng frowned and asked coldly, "Who’s calling?"

Huang Yunmu glanced at the screen and hesitated before saying, "Gu... Gu Yuan."

Hearing the name, Huang Tiancheng sneered. "Hmph, that rare F-class spatial ability trash? Go ahead and answer it."

Swallowing hard, Huang Yunmu quickly answered the call, lowering his voice as he said, "Hello, Ah Yuan… what’s… what’s wrong…"

Taking another glance at Huang Tiancheng’s face, Huang Yunmu froze momentarily before hurriedly adding, "Keep it short... It’s not a good time right now…"

"Fatty, can you lend me some money? I—"

"Ah... yeah... sure, I’ll transfer it to you later. If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up now."

Beep beep beep... (The call ended.)

"I also wanted to… come to your house… and stay for a while…" Gu Yuan’s sentence trailed off as the busy tone echoed from the other end of the line.

Gu Yuan froze, staring at the now-dark phone screen. His hand dropped weakly to his side as his gaze grew unfocused, and an overwhelming sense of helplessness washed over him.

Huang Yunmu set his phone down, barely catching his breath before Huang Tiancheng’s cold voice cut through the room. "You’ve certainly made a good friend, haven’t you? First thing he does is ask to borrow money."

Huang Yunmu lifted his head, his face showing traces of awkwardness. "Ah Yuan might be going through some difficulties, I—"

"No need to explain!" Huang Tiancheng interrupted sharply, his gaze filled with disdain. "That F-class trash—he’s a burden even now, let alone in the future! You’d better stay away from people like him unless you want others to look down on you."

Huang Yunmu clenched his fists, a mix of emotions churning within him. His father’s words were harsh, but he couldn’t refute them. He looked up and said softly, "But he’s my friend—"

"Friend?" Huang Tiancheng sneered, lightly tapping the cane in his hand. "What can a friend like him do for you? All he’ll do is drag you down. Don’t forget, you’re already a disgrace with that D-class ability. Do you want to sink even lower by associating with him?"

Huang Yunmu lowered his head, choosing not to argue further. His gaze darkened as he gritted his teeth, swallowing his resentment and enduring his father’s scorn in silence.

...

Gu Yuan wandered aimlessly through the streets, his clothes soaked by the rain. Cold wind seeped through the wet fabric, chilling him to the bone. He walked with his head down, the blurry street scene before him blending with the rhythmic patter of rain on the ground. The weight of the storm pressed heavily on him, suffocating him.

He had nowhere to go, no place left to turn. His once-warm home was now a desolate ruin. The few friends he had seemed farther away than ever.

He lifted his head to the gray sky above, rain streaming down his face. He didn’t even have the strength to wipe it away.

...